When I feed someone, I don't do it standing up. I sit across from him and look him in the eye. This is how we are equal. And it doesn't matter that he's mentally disabled, like schizophrenic. That's my job
Jozef Matúš
Job: cSS caregiver
Place: Trenčín - Juh I
Date of Award: 10. 7. 2026
When I feed someone, I don't do it standing up. I sit across from him and look him in the eye. This is how we are equal. And it doesn't matter that he's mentally disabled, like schizophrenic. That's my job
Location We’ve been heading south for the second time today. The first mission was unsuccessful. We didn’t get the award-winning at home. Fortunately, we now have telephone contact and have arranged a meeting.
We waited for Joseph in front of the Social Services Center building in the South, where he acts as a nurse. He just had a night shift and he came back for us. While we were waiting, the company was making us a little speckled cat trying to chase bumble bees on lavender flowers.
Joseph was originally a career soldier, studied general medicine, and later engaged in psychology focusing on schizophrenia. He’s a popular nurse at CSS today. His appreciation literally took his breath away.
When a particular person thanks you… I’m speechless. I’m sorry, I usually talk a lot, and now I don’t know what to say. It’s more than a financial reward to me.
Joseph Matthew loves his work. He also tries to teach his colleagues that clients should be treated as equal people despite their mental disabilities. Not to feed them from the top, standing still, but to sit with them, to look them in the face and to communicate with them. Treat them or their children as they themselves would like to be treated. They don’t blame their disability. Like everyone, they also desire to be accepted.
Joseph’s passion is tourism. If he doesn’t work right now, he loves wandering around Trenčín or hiking in the High Tatras. As he says, he goes wherever his legs carry him.
